Parks as Investments, Not Expenses: Testing the Interactive Gardens Concept in Finland

To ensure that the “Interactive Gardens” (IG) concept meets real-world needs, the Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke) recently tested the concept paper with a working group of practitioners. The feedback provided a valuable reality check, highlighting the importance of cross-sector collaboration and the need to view public green spaces as municipal investments.

Bridging the Gap: The Purpose of the Concept Paper

Developed by the project consortium, the IG concept paper serves as a practical guide primarily aimed at municipal project managers and landscape professionals. Its main goals are to help local authorities understand the societal benefits of green spaces, adjust garden elements to meet community needs, and successfully integrate these requirements into public procurements and specifications.

The document relies heavily on practical examples and risk solutions from the project’s own demonstration gardens. However, to ensure the final concept is truly applicable and user-friendly, project partners are currently in the evaluation phase – discussing the draft with external stakeholders and municipalities to collect real-world feedback, suggestions, and additional examples.

The Evaluation Phase in Finland

As part of this evaluation process, on April 9, Luke organized a testing workshop bringing together five professionals that are specialized in park management and renovations. The working group represented a diverse mix of Finnish municipalities, including the cities of Rovaniemi, Tornio, and Forssa, as well as the municipalities of Keminmaa and Jokioinen.

In addition, the concept paper and other project outcomes were discussed with local authorities, decision-makers, and citizens in a workshop on March 3, 2026.

Prior to these workshops, the IG concept paper was translated into Finnish and supplemented with a specific section on park marketing, authored by Sirpa Kurppa and Erja Mattila from Elonkierto. The revised document was then sent to the professionals for evaluation.

A Valuable Tool with Room for Concrete Examples

Overall, the working group received the concept paper positively, regarding it as a valuable publication that highlights the importance of parks. The models and diagrams were praised as tools that are easy for decision-makers to read and interpret.

However, the professionals pointed out certain areas for refinement. They felt the document could better emphasize the diversity, attractiveness, and wide range of activities already available in existing public green spaces. While the overarching themes were familiar to the experts, they noted that the paper would benefit from less text for decision-makers and more concrete examples of best practices and technical solutions for professionals.

The Core Message: Parks are Investments

The feedback centered on how green spaces are communicated to municipal leadership. Park management frequently faces budget cuts and minimal staffing – challenges that are greater in smaller municipalities. Therefore, professionals noted that parks must be presented as investments rather than merely as expenses.

Parks provide preventive benefits for residents’ well-being, strengthen community cohesion, and enhance the attractiveness of municipalities. To make this argument stronger for decision-makers, the working group suggested:

• Including concrete numbers on how public green spaces impact wellbeing;

• Comparing the value of park management to other municipal services, such as public libraries;

• Demonstrating the link between nature-based activities and public health outcomes, showing how park management can lower long-term tax expenditures on heavy health services.

The Reality of Park Management and the Need for Shared Budgets

The workshop also shed light on the everyday realities of park managers. When it comes to organizing park-related activities and engaging citizens – as proposed in the concept paper – professionals highlighted certain restrictions. Due to heavy workloads, park managers largely expect external stakeholders to take the initiative in proposing and organizing events, rather than doing it themselves.

Because parks connect to multiple sectors of society – including schools, daycares, recreational services, and local associations – the Finnish professionals suggested that municipal sectors would benefit from a shared budget or an extended forum for joint planning.

By initiating coordinated development, municipalities can provide more diverse green space services without overburdening a single department. The feedback collected during this evaluation phase will be crucial for updating the final “Interactive Gardens” concept and driving this cross-sector collaboration forward.

Programme Manual Online

Choose